In the End
by flavumetrubrum
Summary: In the end, all he can do is watch. Wally is dying, and Conner is helpless.


Conner had gotten separated from Wally at some point during the battle, but amidst the chaos and explosions he had failed to notice. He coughed roughly into his elbow, squinting to try to see through the thick cloud of smoke and dust surrounding him. He stumbled through the debris, his super-powered senses on full alert. He touched the com-link in his ear, but it had been damaged beyond repair and his efforts were met only with static. He growled in frustration and cast it aside angrily.

After hours of fighting off an entire army of invading aliens, Nightwing had ordered the team to split up and scout the surrounding area for survivors and intel. He had teamed Superboy up with Wally, who, in spite of his inexplicable insistence on staying out of the hero business for good, had donned the mantle of Kid Flash once again to help them fight off the alien onslaught. They had been sent to scout out the perimeter of the battleground, Wally's speed and Conner's heightened senses making them the ideal team to cover the most ground. Everything had gone smoothly until they were ambushed by a troop of aliens who had either deserted or had been posted there as back-up. They had come out guns blazing, and the sudden confusion had left them fighting just to evade the attacks. Superboy had fought mechanically, exhausted from the long battle they had just finished. He hadn't even realized that he had fought them all off until every single one was dead, and he was left entirely alone.

He made his way back in the direction he was fairly certain he had come from, keeping his eyes strained for any sign of his comrades or the enemy. He was passing by a smoking mound of debris that used to be a McDonald's when he was drawn by the faint sound of labored breathing. Instantly worried, he made his cautious way through the wreckage toward the noise. He made his way around a large slab of concrete, and the sight that met him on the other side shook him to his core.

Conner's breath caught in his throat as he took in the sight before him. Wally lay sprawled on his back in the middle of the rubble, struggling loudly for breath. His uniform was covered in dust and blood and was torn is several places, revealing nasty gashes. His eyes were closed and his pale freckles stood out starkly against his much paler skin. Conner's super hearing easily picked up on the rattle in his teammate's chest and his much-too-slow heartbeat. But the worst part, the part that had Superboy frozen in his tracks, was the inch-thick rebar sticking straight up through Wally's abdomen. Thick, shiny blood coated the debris around him and continued to soak into the fabric of his uniform.

Conner stared for several moments with wide eyes before approaching slowly, the sound of his own pounding heart drowning out everything else. "Wally…?" he asked uncertainly, fighting the instinct to turn around and run away from the painful scene.

His friend's head slowly turned toward him and groggy green eyes peered at him from between half-closed eyelids. "Supey, you're okay…," he slurred, a drop of blood sliding from the corner of his mouth.

Suddenly Conner was in motion, falling to his knees beside his fallen comrade. "Get up, Wally, we need to get you help." His words seemed to register with the speedster, who made a weak struggle to sit up. He quickly fell back, however, letting out a strangled cry of pain.

"I can't… I can't move," he mumbled, hand groping at the source of the pain in his abdomen. His fingers found the rebar and he stopped searching. "Oh…," he whispered, letting his head fall back. He remained silent for a moment, staring straight ahead. Conner didn't know what to say, so he remained silent as well. Finally, Wally spoke again. "Are my feet moving?"

Conner glanced at Wally's feet, both of which remained completely, uncharacteristically still. His heart sank. "No," he said bluntly.

Wally winced. "Geez, Supey, the least you could do is lie to me," he broke off to cough, and blood spattered the front of his uniform.

"Why would you want me to lie to you?" Conner asked, frowning in both confusion and concern.

"I'm gonna die anyway, so it doesn't really matter whether I can move my legs or not. But it would still be nice to think that if I somehow did get up from this, I'd still be able to run."

Icy fear gripped his heart and foreign emotions welled up inside him. "You aren't going to die," he growled, sounding much more menacing than he intended. "I'm taking you to a hospital."

He reached for Kid Flash's shoulders, intent on lifting the boy off of the metal rod. Wally shook his head quickly, struggling to lift a hand to stop his friend. "No," he gasped, the minimal movement sucking away much of his energy. "If you move me I'll just die faster. I wanna stay as long as possible."

"There has to be something I can do!" he yelled, rage and panic mixing in his voice. "I can bring help here…," he moved to stand but Wally's hand shot out and grabbed his wrist with more speed and strength than he should have been able to muster. Conner looked at him and saw true fear in his eyes for the first time since he had found him.

"No, please. Don't leave. I don't wanna be alone when… when I die."

Something was burning in Conner's eyes, but he ignored it as he sat back on the ground heavily. "I have to do something…. You can't die! I won't let you!" He was vaguely aware of how childish he sounded, but the thought of Wally being gone made him feel as scared and alone as he had when he first escaped the pod he was grown in. Wally's eyes were slipping closed and Conner suddenly felt the need to keep him awake. "Do you remember at Cadmus? When you promised to show me the moon?"

Wally's eyes opened, a little too slowly, but he smiled a little as he gazed at the clone. "Yeah…."

"I never told you…," he faltered, still unsure about how to express his emotions. "I never said thank you. For… keeping your promise."

Wally chuckled, wincing as it jarred his injuries. "You didn't need to. It was the very least you deserved. Besides, it's not like I did much."

"You freed me," Conner said, and left it at that. It said it all.

"It's okay, really," Wally whispered, staring up at the sky. "This, I mean."

"How can this possibly be okay?" Conner demanded, his voice more harsh than he intended.

Wally's eyes shifted to look at him, and his gaze was serene, and almost sympathetic. "I'm dying anyway. I've been sick for a few years; that's why I quit the team. Using my powers –" he broke off to cough – "makes it worse. I probably wouldn't have lived much longer anyway."

"Why… why didn't you say anything? Maybe we could've helped…."

Wally shook his head slightly, closing his eyes. "There was nothing… nothing to do…. Even Bats was stumped. I didn't want you guys to… to worry…."

Wally was fading again, and Conner searched desperately for another way to bring the boy back. His friend's labored breathing grated on his sensitive ears, reminding Superboy of how fragile he was. The burning in his eyes was growing stronger, and he was suddenly aware of something damp on his face. He swiped at his eyes impatiently, frustration growing stronger inside him. "Wally, please… you can't die."

"I don't want to," Wally answered, his voice quiet and hoarse. "But I can't help it." A tear leaked from Wally's closed eyes, and it occurred to Conner why his own face was wet. "I wish… I wish I had more time, to see the others. To say goodbye…." His eyes opened slowly and found Superboy's face. "You have to tell them how much I love them. And that I'll miss them—" He broke off abruptly as his frame was wracked by violent coughing. His face twisted in agony as his stomach muscles contracted around the metal bar and he turned his head as far to the side as he was able as blood began to fill his mouth. As the coughing subsided Conner could hear the blood gurgling in the back of his throat, trying to drown him with every breath. Panic began to consume him.

"No…. No, no, no…."

"Promise me," Wally gasped, blood coating his lips and teeth. "Please."

Conner squeezed his eyes shut, his balled fists pressing into the ground. "I promise."

Wally grasped his hand as tightly he could manage, and his fingers were already cold. "Conner…." He opened his eyes again, blinking past tears to stare at his friend. "It'll be okay. I love you, man." Wally's eyes slipped closed one more time. His hand grew limp in Conner's. With a grief-stricken roar, Conner grabbed the piece of metal that had stolen his friend, ripped it from his body, and hurled it as far away as his super strength allowed. And the world around them froze as the Boy of Steel wept.


End file.
